Wednesday, August 5, 2009

STREET-SIDE BIKE REPAIR...INDIA STYLE

I wonder if such bike repair stands would endure in an American city

WHERE BICYCLES RULE. Whenever I walk into a high-priced American bicycle shop, I think of the many street-side, make-shift bicycle repair stands that I rode past during my 2,000-mile bike ride through India. No overhead for a leased facility, nothing fancy. Just readily-available, hands-on, while-you-wait bike repairs. Of course, there are many more bicycles in use for essential services and purposes in India. A flat tire there may be the difference between a day's lost wages and putting food on the table in the evening.

ESSENTIAL HERE? I wonder how many bicycles are unused because of a small repair that's needed. I know some bike shops won't even look at or repair a department store/big-box store-bought bicycle like a Huffy or recent Schwinn. But few bike advocates are responding to this "market," these would-be bike riders and upgrades-in-the-making. I wonder if a street-level bike repair would work in an American city, if carefully located and graciously advertized?

In the spirit of dialog, I welcome comments and/or questions. Click on "responses" below to post. They're moderated only to reduce incivility.

Twitter @indybikehiker

Read my Novel - 'What Saved Grace?'

My novel published in March 2013 as an ebook. It's a story about the beauty and complexity of compassion. Click on the book cover to go to my book page on Smashwords--it can be downloaded in any ebook format (including Kindle apps). It's available for Nook at Barnes & Noble online, as an iBook from the iTunes Store, and for Kindle at Amazon.com. Not available in print.